The shelf life and/or usefulness of certain liquids can deteriorate upon exposure to environmental components external to a container storing the liquid. For example, the shelf life of wine significantly decreases upon being exposed to ambient air by oxidizing chemicals in the wine, which can alter its taste and color. Other liquids that are stored in sealed containers can also be oxidized or otherwise affected by the air. Even if a liquid is protected while being extracted from a container, any subsequent handling of the extracted liquid can introduce air into the remaining liquid. Current liquid handling devices attempt to alleviate these problems in a variety of ways; however, they may be difficult to operate and do not provide an adequate solution for handling a liquid while minimizing exposure of the liquid to the ambient air. Therefore, there is a need for a liquid handling system and method that can successfully receive, store, and dispense a liquid to increase its shelf life and/or usefulness.